www.madawaskafourcorners.org Located prominently on a hillside terrace overlooking the main thoroughfare in downtown Madawaska, the Four Corners Park was created to honor those hearty souls who saddle their motorcycles for a grueling cross-country trek to the outermost reaches of the continental United States. As the Southern California Motorcycle Association’s primary challenge to long-distance bikers, the Four Corners Tour requires each candidate to “travel by motorcycle to the four corners of the U.S in 21 days or less,” with Madawaska representing the most northeastern aspect (while Blaine in Washington, San Ysidro in California and Key West in Florida serve as the other three points--though none other with benefit of a park, which is specifically dedicated to their achievement, or the fanfare that often accompanies the Madawaska leg of this journey). Following are three, of hundreds of similar, endorsements which attest to the friendly WELCOME accorded tour participants:
• Bill Kraus from Brandon, Vermont, commented in the Madawaska Four Corners Park guestbook: “Hurricane Irene and I arrived on the same day so I didn't get to spend as much time at the park as I would have liked. The Four Corners Park and the townspeople, who offered to take photos of me and my bike, were simply amazing.”
• Blaine48 from Santa Ana, California, wrote in TripAdvisor: “I was on the road for most of the month of June 2011 on this journey of a lifetime. Madawaska, with this great park and terrific people, was one of the highlights of the trip. If you find yourself in Madawaska on a touring motorcycle, chances are you will get a wave and a hello and a ‘Have you seen our park?’ shouted from the sidewalk or a rolled-down car window. Can’t help but love those Acadians!”
• Jean LeBoeuf from New Orleans, Louisiana, stated in Cycle World: “This is an extremely welcoming town for motorcycle enthusiasts. On the SCMA’s website, there’s this intriguing note for participants of the tour: ‘The Madawaska Four Corners Park Association will welcome any group of five riders or more, who are completing this class event inaugurated 25 years ago, with an honorary ‘police escort’ from the town lines through Main Street and, ultimately, to the Madawaska Four Corners Park itself.’”
With an unparalleled view of the Saint John River and the city of Edmundston, Canada, on the opposite shore (seemingly just a stone’s throw away), the park boasts an impressive 12-foot tall, blue-pearl granite monument dedicated to those wind-burnt and saddle-sore participants who persevere in their quest to join the ranks of SCMA’s “tour finishers.” Townspeople and car-borne tourists, enjoying the natural beauty of the park or a picnic lunch in the shade of the gazebos on a lazy summer afternoon, are sure to witness tour riders from across the USA, Europe, South America and Japan, as they pause in their travels to wipe the bugs from their visors and shake the dust off their leathers. Each biker has his and her own story to tell; and, not surprisingly, there’s always a local resident lolling around the 20-foot wide, night-lit fountain at the center of the park who is anxious to hear those harrowing tales, as well as to offer advice on where to eat authentic Acadian food or where to spend a restful night.
A unique feature of this park is the run of red and gray pavers fronting the fountain and serving as footpaths and walkways across well-kept lawns to an ice-cold drinking fountain, a sparkling-clean restroom and a night-blazing fireplace. Red pavers celebrate tour finishers, with all pertinent information, such as: who they are, what they rode, when they toured, where they came from and why they came; whereas, chiseled with heartening and celebratory messages, the gray granite pavers are reserved for park supporters who wish to memorialize a business venture, an important event in their lives or a loved one, perhaps deceased, whom they wish to honor in a lively and enlivening environment. A woodland cape of native trees, flowers and ferns surrounds the upper edge of the park, giving a dappled shade in the shimmering heat of the summer months across hundreds of these red and gray pavers.
In 2014, Madawaska will host the World Acadian Congress, featuring as many as 120 family reunions. These family members will ride and drive and fly from as far away as Louisiana, all across the eastern seaboard and down from Quebec, representing an historically significant event with an expected influx of 40,000 tourists, many of whom will warm the granite benches and tables at the park. Through countless volunteer hours and generous donations from motorcycle enthusiasts and community leaders, the Madawaska Four Corners Park has become an important cornerstone of the tourist industry in this area, with people from all over the world participating in the project.
Thank you for your continuing support,
Joe LaChance, President & Founder
Madawaska Four Corners Park Association
